Theodore Epp said, "It is a shame for a person to have been a Christian for years but not to have advanced beyond the knowledge of his salvation."
I have been in the Church for over 3 decades now, and it is alarming as to the truth of this statement. We help people get their "fire insurance" and leave them to grow in their faith by themselves. If we did this with our children we would be investigated for neglect. This is a very touchy issue with me as this is exactly what happened with me. I came to faith at an early age, but I cannot say that my discipleship actually started until after I was in college for a year. Yes, I regularly went to Sunday School and youth programs like Disciple Now, but all those did were tell me what I was supposed to believe. They did not teach me how to study my Bible and feed myself, how to deal with failure and disappointment, how to defend my faith, etc. Were it not for the grace of God, I fear where I would be in my faith.
I have since been apart of some great churches that believe that Jesus actually meant that we were supposed to make followers of Christ and not just converts. I wonder how much damage has been done to the cause of the kingdom the name of the gospel. Please do not misunderstand me, I believe we are called to share the gospel.
I wonder if part of this is from fear. If I am truly to make someone a disciple, it takes an investment of my own life. It takes a vulnerability to have someone walk along side me and watch me mess up and then have to fix it. I have to let my guard down and let people into my life. That is something that few are willing to do. That means they have to be real. It is one thing to say, "Here, pray this prayer and then come to church." It is another to come along someone and work through the messy stuff of life.
It is time to grow up Church!
1 comment:
I think you nailed it! Fear of getting involved and having someone need you more than you can (or are willing to) give. Fear of letting someone see our weaknesses lest we fall off the pedestal we think they have us on.
There are those who are called to evangelism. I have always felt called to encouragement of believers. I like teaching and finding applications to God's Word. Unfortunately, I'm not doing that much right now. I'm in kind of an "in between" time. Just singing now and then! (remember me -- Carol?)
I think evangelism should be an outgrowth of a healthy church ministering to its own. The church can't do that if it is trying to minister to those who aren't there!
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